James Brownlie
Traffic Technical Lead - VIC
MEL

James leads WGA Melbourne’s multi-disciplinary traffic and transport team, sharing over 20 years’ experience gained during his extensive experience in consulting and local government across a diverse range of projects. He has expertise in all areas of traffic and transport planning including road safety design, road network master planning, traffic and car parking impact assessments, sustainable transport planning and road safety auditing.

James understands the importance of undertaking a whole of development approach to transportation to ensure the best possible results; good transportation outcomes should not dictate design but integrate seamlessly.

With a special interest in road safety, James is passionate about the opportunity to make a difference in the number of lives that can be saved through the methodical planning and implementation of transport engineering principles. Reporting that annual road traffic deaths had reached 1.35 million and road traffic injuries were the leading killer of people aged 5-29 years, James cites The Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018 released by The World Health Organisation, as being a critical document to support the ongoing importance of traffic and transport planning. James believes the biggest challenge he faces as a transport engineer is transforming people’s thinking to be logical and systematic when it comes to road safety, rather than being emotional and drawing on their own driving experiences.

The Salomon Temple in Brazil is a milestone project that has had a great impact on James’ professional development as it involved a high level of complex problem solving, detailed planning and the integration of multiple disciplines to achieve a successful community outcome. The large- scale project of more than 35,000sqm in São Paulo comprises approximately 100,000sqm of built area, divided into two large sections that are interconnected by a nave, which comfortably accommodates 10,000 people seated. The complex includes classrooms for children’s ministry with a capacity for approximately 1,300 children, TV and radio studios, an auditorium, and lodging for pastors. The capacity of the basement alone accommodates up to 400 buses at any one time.

Keen to foster his strong personal view of greater holistic diversity in engineering, James serves as a committee member on the PCA diversity committee. He is also affiliated with the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association (VPELA), Institute of Transport Engineers and Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management.

James' project experience includes: 

  • Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ) Major Projects Victoria and City of Ballarat
  • Exxon Mobil, Longford Gas Plant
  • Alfred Hospital Emergency and Trauma Centre Redevelopment
  • Hobart Airport, Hobart – Early works package
  • Stephenson Road, Bridge Alignment Review, Sarsfield
  • Footscray Activity Centre Accessibility Study
  • Glen Waverley Activity Centre, Sustainable Transport Plan and Planning Scheme Amendment
  • Saloman Temple, Brazil – Pedestrian safety review and modelling
  • North East Link, Design Stage Road Safety Audit
  • Cardinia Walking and Cycling Strategy, Cardinia Shire Council

 

 

 

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